7 comments:

Serving as a Marine recruiter in North Carolina,I found a UNC student who met all the requirementsand was ready to enlist. I explained the importanceof being truthful on the application, and he began fillingout his paper work.

But when he got to the question "Do you own any foreignproperty or have any foreign financial interests?" helooked up at me with a worried expression.

His final hours were spent in prayer. Yet, the gospel of Luke tells usthat there was nothing unusual about him being in prayer. "And He cameout and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives...and when Hearrived at the place...He withdrew from them...and knelt down and began topray" (22:39-41). As was His custom, He would go to pray. We donot often hear the content of these prayer times, but in this case, inthese final hours, we see Him gripped with passion. Luke tells us that Hewas in such agony that His sweat "became like drops of blood" (22:44). Medical science tells us that under extreme conditions of duress,capillaries in the head burst forth drops of blood literally pouring outof the skin like perspiration. Whatever the case, Jesus had never been inthis much distress before--even in his wilderness testing--we have no otherportrait of such extreme anguish in prayer.

"And being in agony He was praying very fervently," writes Luke. I'veoften wondered about the nature of these agonized prayers. Was Jesus inagony over the physical torture and death He was about to endure? Was Hein agony over the spiritual condition of His disciples, one who wouldbetray Him and the others who would all abandon Him in His time of need? Certainly, the latter is a real possibility as He exhorts His disciples atleast two times to "watch and pray that you might not enter intotemptation" (Luke 22:40; 46).

Whatever the reason for His agony, Jesus's humanity was on full display inHis prayer. He did not want to walk the path that was unfolding beforeHim, and He pleads with God to provide an alternative path, a "plan B" asit were. Matthew's gospel reveals more of His struggle. He tells Hisdisciples "I am deeply grieved, to the point of death" (26:38). Then Heprays to His Father, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yetnot as I will, but your will be done" (Matthew 26:38-39). The viadolorosa, the way of suffering, unfolded before Him and He would go toHis death, despite His anguished prayers for another way.

As I meditate on Jesus's passionate prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane,His human agony and suffering on full display, I am reminded how often wefollowers of Jesus also long for God to provide another way in the face ofour own suffering. We do not want to follow Jesus down the viadolorosa. We seek to follow the victorious entry of the Messiah intoJerusalem to be enthroned and crowned the king. We want that kind ofvictory borne out in our lives as the absence of difficulty. We want theglory and the grandeur of Palm Sunday as our entry into eternal life, withas little pain and suffering as possible. But as author Kim Reisman hasnoted, "That is not the Jesus way. God doesn't dispense with death. Godresurrects us from it. The truth is that the Jesus way isn't about Godtaking pain away from God's people; it's about God providing us withstrength, courage, and meaning, with abundant life, often in the midst ofpain."(1)

I am always thankful then, for this very human portrait of Jesus's ownagonizing struggle with His own suffering. For I know He shares my ownstruggle. And while I often reluctantly say to God, "Not my will butyours be done," I remember that God transforms the evil of suffering andaffliction perpetrated against Jesus. God takes the very death of Jesus,and brings about resurrection. In my own prayers during this holiest ofall weeks, I bow my head and my heart to the king who reigns not from athrone, but from the Cross.

------------------------------------------------------------------- Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM)"A Slice of Infinity" is aimed at reaching into the culture with words ofchallenge, words of truth, and words of hope. If you know of others whowould enjoy receiving "A Slice of Infinity" in their email box each day,tell them they can sign up on our website athttp://www.rzim.org/slice/slice.php. If they do not have access to theWorld Wide Web, please call 1-877-88SLICE (1-877-887-5423).

One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but inspite of all we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby anda crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the babyalive, as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator).

We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on theequator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One studentmidwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that thebaby would be wrappedin.

Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. Shecame back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it hadburst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). "And it is our lasthotwater bottle!" she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying overspilled milk so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying overburst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstoresdown forest pathways.

"All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as yousafely can,and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Yourjob is to keep the baby warm."

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers withany of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave theyoungsters various suggestions of thingsto pray about and told them aboutthe tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough,mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if itgot chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because hermother had died.

During prayer time, one ten-year old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usualblunt conciseness of our African children. "Please, God" she prayed,"sendus a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead,so please send it this afternoon."

While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added,"Andwhile You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl soshe'll know You really love her?"

As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could Ihonestly s say," Amen". I just d! id notbelieve that God could do this.Oh,yes, I know that He can do everything, the Bible says so. But there arelimits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayerwould be by sending me a parcel from homeland. I had been in Africa foralmost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel fromhome. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot waterbottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon, while I wasteaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was acar at my front door.

By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on theveranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel.. I felt tears pricking my eyes.I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children.

Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot! . We

folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement wasmounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the largecardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys.Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages forthe leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came abox of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for theweekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be?I grasped it and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new, rubberhot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had nottruly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. Sherushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent

the dolly too!"Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pull! ed outthe small,beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!

Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you and give thisdolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?"

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by myformer Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God'sprompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of thegirls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, inanswer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it "thatafternoon."

*UNC is the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.Specializing in a wide range of degree programs* including:B.A. A.H.F.(Advanced Hamburger Flipping), N.U.T., A.P.E., B.R.C.(Bar Room Conversations), etc. Institution was founded in 1898for sons/daughters of local Chapel Still politicians that wereunable to qualify for the more prestigious institutions of higherlearning such as Duke, Wake Forest, and N.C. State. UNCis a trademark of Underachievers of North Carolina...

*Permission is hereby granted for you to change all humor used in The"E-Mail Newspaper", 'Thought & Humor' and its subsidiaries related to the institution of lower learning hereby known as UNC to another of your choice from the list below:

1) Senate Dinosaurs 2) Harvard or U.C. - Berkeley3) Any accredited high school or middle school4) Any Loggerheads & Pundits5) Any and all persnickety individuals or nincompoops6) Any Chapel Hill, NC Citizen unless same sends an offspring to NCSU, JSU, MSU, USC, UGA, or FSU.

All of us, at one time or another, have experienced the strange physiological reaction of zygomatic stimulation and subsequent larynx strain.

This strain upsets the respiratory system, which results in deep, noisy gasps. The mouth opens and closes as the lungs struggle for oxygen.

The struggle for oxygen causes the face to turn various shades of red and strange, unique noises emerge from deep within. What is this strange,physiological reaction I am describing? It is laughter!

We normally associate laughter with humor. But, gelotology, the study of laughter, suggests another trigger for laughter called the incongruity theory.

This theory suggests that laughter arises when logicand familiarity are replaced by things that don't normally go together--when we expect one outcome and another happens. Generally speaking, our minds and bodies anticipate what's going to happen and how it's going to end based on logical thought, emotion, and our pastexperience. But, when circumstances go in unexpected directions, our thoughts and emotions suddenly have to switch gears and laughter emerges out of the tension between what we expect--and what actually happens. - - Margaret Manning

===============

"I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book." -- President Abraham Lincoln

"For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world."--John Winthrop, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1630

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." - President George Washington

"The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it." - Napoleon

"That Book accounts for the supremacy of England." - Queen Victoria

"If there is anything in my thought or style to commend , the credit is due my parents for instilling in me an early love of the Scriptures. If we abide by the principals taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us andbury all our glory in profound obscurity." - Daniel Webster (Founding Father)

"The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed." - Patrick Henry (original member of the Continental Congress)

"The Bible is the anchor of our liberties." - President U.S. Grant

"It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principals of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom." - Horace Greeley (Editor)

"That Book is the rock on which our Republic rests." - President Andrew Jackson

"In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give melight and strength." - Gen. Robert E. Lee

"Bible reading is an education in itself." - Lord Tennyson (Poet)

"So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children beginto read it the more confident will be my hope that they will prove usefulcitizens of their country and respectable members of society. I have formany years made it a practice to read through the Bible once every year."- President John Quincy Adams

"The existence of the Bible, as a Book for the people, is the greatestbenefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity." - Immanuel Kant (Philosopher)

"The New Testament is the very best Book that ever or ever will be known in the world." - Charles Dickens (Author)

"All human discoveries seem to be made only for the purpose of confirming more and more strongly the truths contained in the Sacred Scriptures." - Sir William Herschel (Astronomer)

"There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history." - Sir Isaac Newton (Scientist)

"Let mental culture go on advancing, let the natural sciences progress in even greater extent and depth, and the human mind widen itself as much as it desires; beyond the elevation and moral culture of Christianity, as it shines forth in the Gospels, it will not go." - Goethe (Author)

"I have known ninety-five of the world's great men in my time, and of these eight-seven were followers of the Bible. The Bible is stamped with a Specialty of Origin, and an immeasurable distance separates it from all competitors." - W.E. Gladstone (Prime Minister)

"Whatever merit there is in anything that I have written is simply due to the fact that when I was a child my mother daily read me a part of the Bible and daily made me learn a part of it by heart." - John Ruskin (art critic and social commentator)

"The Bible has been the Magna Charta of the poor and oppressed. The human race is not in a position to dispense with it." - Thomas Huxley (Author & Scientist)

"The whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever growing influence of the Bible." - W.H. Seward (Secretary of State)

"America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness, which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scriptures. Part of the destiny of Americans lies in their daily perusal of this great book of revelations. That if they would see America free and pure they will make their own spirits free and pure by this baptism of the Holy Spirit."--President Woodrow Wilson

For Christians, the life and death of Jesus are the ultimate expressions of love, and the supreme demonstrations of God's mercy, faithfulness, and redemption. Since Christ's miraculous Resurrection on Easter, more than 2,000 years ago, Christians have expressed joy and gratitude for this wondrous sacrifice and for God's promise of freedom for the oppressed, healing for the brokenhearted, and salvation. --President George W. Bush

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here." --Patrick Henry (original member of the Continental Congress)

Q: What if I can't read all of it? A: Delete it. Most folks don't read every word in every newspaper/magazine either?

Q: Am I required to memorize each article? A: Nope! Delete what you don't have time for or save for another time.

Q: Is 'T & H' Spam?A: No, it's made entirely of ham.

Q: Can I forward to friends & family? A: Please do.

Q: How many people have had opportunity to read 'T & H' E-Mail Newspapers? A: Well over 1 million + many forwards by you.

Q: Who is Howdy?A: We let him think he's the boss...

===============

Take the best medicine of all for what ails you -- laughter:

"A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs--jolted by every pebble in the road."~Henry Ward Beecher"Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects."--Arnold Glasow"Laughter is by definition healthy."--Doris Lessing"If somebody makes me laugh, I'm his slave for life."--Bette Midler"The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter."--Mark Twain "What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul."-- Yiddish Proverb"Laughter is an instant vacation."-- Milton Berle "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."-- Victor Borge

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under theheaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a timeto pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; atime to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. (King Solomon)

NOTICE: The jokes published in this list were either submitteddirectly to 'Thought & Humor' or are, we believe, in the public domain. If you think that we have published a joke withoutgiving proper credit to its author/owner, please let us knowand we will provide appropriate credit in a future mailing.

But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My Name may be declared in all the earth. Ex 9:16

And this Good News about the Kingdom will be preached through all the world for a witness to all people; and then the end will come. Mat 24:14

2) For the wages of above (see #1) are DEATH (Hell, eternal separation from God, & damnation) but the Gift (free & at no charge to you) of God (Creator, Jehovah, & Trinity) is Eternal Life (Heaven) through (in union with) Jesus Christ (God, Lord, 2nd Person of The Trinity, Messiah, Prince of Peace & Savior of the World).

This wonderful loving GOD gives you the choice - - -(Rev. 3:20){Please note that church membership, baptism, doing good things, etc. are not requirements for becoming a Christian -however they are great afterwards!!!}

Jesus said, "Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction (Hell, damnation, eternal punishment), and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life (Heaven, eternal happiness, forever with God), and only a few find it. --Matthew 7:13-14

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The "E-Mail Newspaper" containing 'Thought & Humor' is sent out FREE via e-mail w/o ads. This information was sent to you because you made the request, 'Thought & Humor' is one small attempt to obey "The Great* Com-mission". First published in the last century (July 26, 1997). Soli Deo Gloria... ________ "E-Mail Newspaper (Free4u)" _________References gleaned for great humor & information: Merry Heart, Buffalosjokes, Funny List, MeMail, Daily Dose, Joke of the Day, Kim Komando, MIKEY'S FUNNIES , The Daily Tease, Crosswalk.com, CLEAN LAFFS & Gophercentral.

Quoting one is plagiarism; quoting many is research.

'Thought & Humor' respects your privacy and wishes to honor your desires to not receive e-mail from us if that's your choice, and we apologize if any message causes any inconvenience to you or your computer. We have never given any reader's e-mail addresses to a third party & have no plans to do such unless the price is right:o) (Liberals please note - that was humor) The E-Mail Newspaper is sent to you with love.

But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My Name may be declared in all the earth. Ex 9:16

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Here's some blogs that I foundof interest as I negotiated my waythrough cyberspace:

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life. Jn 20:31

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed." Is 55

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in -behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.Ps 139

When I survey the wondrous crossOn which the Prince of Glory died,My richest gain I count but loss,And pour contempt on all my pride.

O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.Ps 71

"Who is this who darkenscounsel by words withoutknowledge? Now prepareyourself like a man; I willquestion you, and you shallanswer Me.

"Where were you when Ilaid the foundations of theearth? Tell Me, if youhave understanding. Whodetermined its measurements?

Surely you know! Or whostretched the line upon it?To what were its foundationsfastened? Or who laid itscornerstone, When themorning stars sang together,And all the sons of Godshouted for joy? "Or whoshut in the sea with doors,When it burst forth andissued from the womb;When I made the cloudsits garment, And thickdarkness its swaddlingband; When I fixed Mylimit for it, And set barsand doors; When I said,'This far you may come,but no farther, And hereyour proud waves must stop!'

"Have you commanded themorning since your days began,And caused the dawn to knowits place, That it might take holdof the ends of the earth, Andthe wicked be shaken out of it?It takes on form like clay undera seal, And stands out like agarment. From the wickedtheir light is withheld, Andthe upraised arm is broken.

"Have you entered the springsof the sea? Or have you walkedin search of the depths? Havethe gates of death beenrevealed to you? Or haveyou seen the doors of theshadow of death? Haveyou comprehended thebreadth of the earth?

Tell Me, if you know all this.

"Where is the way to thedwelling of light? Anddarkness, where is itsplace, That you maytake it to its territory,That you may knowthe paths to its home?

Do you know it,because you wereborn then, Or becausethe number of your daysis great? "Have youentered the treasuryof snow, Or have youseen the treasury of hail,Which I have reservedfor the time of trouble,For the day of battleand war? By what wayis light diffused, Orthe east wind scatteredover the earth?

"Who has divideda channel for theoverflowing water,Or a path for thethunderbolt, Tocause it to rainon a land wherethere is no one,A wilderness inwhich there is noman; To satisfythe desolate waste,And cause to springforth the growth oftender grass?

Has the rain afather? Or whohas begotten thedrops of dew?

From whosewomb comesthe ice? And thefrost of heaven,who gives it birth?

The waters hardenlike stone, And thesurface of the deepis frozen. "Can youbind the cluster of thePleiades, Or loose thebelt of Orion? Can youbring out Mazzaroth inits season? Or can youguide the Great Bearwith its cubs? Do youknow the ordinances ofthe heavens? Can youset their dominion overthe earth? "Can you liftup your voice to the clouds,That an abundance of watermay cover you? Can yousend out lightnings, that theymay go, And say to you,'Here we are!'? Whohas put wisdom in the mind?

Or who has given understandingto the heart?

Who can number the cloudsby wisdom? Or who can pourout the bottles of heaven,When the dust hardens inclumps, And the clods clingtogether?

"Can you hunt the prey forthe lion, Or satisfy the appetiteof the young lions, When theycrouch in their dens, Or lurkin their lairs to lie in wait?

Who provides food forthe raven, When its youngones cry to God, Andwander about for lackof food?

It was the largest cooperative effort ever among the churches of this county where we were about to do our next community-wide outreaches. What we do is a full-scale mobilization of God's people in an area to reach lost people with what we call "non-religious" evangelism. One of the outreaches, the youth event, was especially targeted to reach lost young people. One main attraction was going to be a concert by one of America's best-known contemporary Christian bands. And the committee for that youth event was a little overwhelmed when they saw the size of the stage this group was going to need. But they went to work like beavers, and they busily rose to the challenge of constructing a very big stage for a very big event. When you walked into the gym the afternoon of the outreach, you might well ask, "What's all this for?" Answer: a big platform for a big event, which turned out to be the biggest youth event anyone could ever remember in that county! An event where, praise God, hundreds of young people met Jesus Christ!

God may be building a big platform in your life right now. Oh, it doesn't look like a platform. It looks like a big problem, a big threat, or a big pain! But actually it's a big platform on which God is about to give a big performance!

There's a great example of how that works in our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Kings 18:36-37. Elijah is up against something huge; he is confronting 450 prophets of the god Baal who much of his culture worships. It's a showdown with the odds 450 to 1. A sacrifice has been laid on the altar on Mt. Carmel and Elijah lays down a challenge to see whose God, Jehovah or Baal, will consume that sacrifice with fire from heaven. Then Elijah builds a bigger platform for God by drenching the sacrifice, the altar, and the whole area with water.

Then the Bible says, "At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: 'O Lord, let it be known today that you are God in Israel. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You are turning their hearts back again.' Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and it also licked up the water in the trench."

Man! Here was something so big only God could do it, and this huge challenge provided a huge platform for God to show up with a huge performance of His power. That huge challenge you're facing right now - God didn't bring it or allow it to hurt you. It's there to provide a stage on which He can show up for you in a way that you and those who know you will never forget.

Elijah here shows us a powerful way to pray: that God will answer in whatever way will let everyone know that He is God. If you're facing a need so great that only God could meet it - a problem so impossible only God could solve it; something so big only God could do it - well, get ready for God to show up big-time! And pray as Elijah did - not just for the situation, but for God to do this in the way that will give Him the greatest glory and you and the people around you the biggest view of His greatness and His love.

The bigger the challenge becomes, the bigger the platform for your God to do His amazing thing - maybe something bigger than you have ever seen Him do before!

To find out how you can begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please visit:Yours for Life or call 1-888-966-7325.

How far can we get on good intentions? According to a recent survey conducted among a diverse group of men and women, thirty percent of those who make New Year's resolutions admit not keeping them into February. Just one in five continues his or her resolution for six months or more. Apparently, we don’t get very far on good intentions.

We meet life with intentions to succeed, intentions to be a good person, intentions to live life to the fullest. However many ways we might interpret success, goodness, or “fullest” living, our good intentions have certain aspects in common: the hope to improve, the idea of becoming something more than what we are at the moment, the expectation that one should reach his or her potential. It is as if there is an image implanted in our minds that upholds the idea of something we could be or might be--or were even meant to be. But there is all too often a tragic side to our best intentions. When they are not fully realized, itis usually we who have gotten in the way.

Great thinkers from Augustine to G.K. Chesterton saw clearly that the most verifiable truth of the Christian worldview is the certainty of the depravity of humanity. It can be observed across countries and languages, at any time and within every decade, from barbaric accounts of depravity in far away places to more accepted forms of depravity close at home. We close our eyes to reality where we refuse to see the same story repeating itself again and again. We might euphemize the doctrine of original sin into neurotic myth, outdated opinion, or church propaganda, but it has not been euthanized. Observe for a short time at any playground and you will note quickly amongst even the youngest that something has gone terribly wrong. If we were to truly observe our hearts, motives, and wills, we would hardly find them good and consistent leaders to follow.

The Christian worldview recognizes the recurring story of a fallen humanity and thedepth of our condition. Not only do we fall short of our own intentions, we fall short of the standard we faintly recognize within us; we fall short of the glory of God. “As for God,” writes the psalmist, “his way is perfect. For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?” (18:30-31). The one who spoke to the dejected Eve in the Garden of Eden and to the defiant David through the prophet Nathan is the standard beside whom we, too, stand in fearful contrast. We can step no closer to that standard by our own merit than a foolish king can order the stars to bow before him. To look at the Father and his only Son is to find that even our best intentions are made of straw.

Yet looking at Christ, we not only see our overwhelming shortfall beside a perfect human standard, we find this better standard moving toward us in mercy, giving us a bigger picture of the good and the fullest, and ushering us into the possibility of holding more than we ever imagined. When we mostclearly understand the depth of our falling short, we are most truly amazed by the life of the Son and the grace of the Father. Where we are humbled by the deceitfulness of our own hearts, we can truly grasp the beauty of Jesus and the unimaginable depth of a Father’s love. It is in Christ where we find that God moves the mountains of sin to give us the picture of all God intended. And here, we find the Christian worldview not only coherently offers the diagnosis, but also the cure.

The late Christian songwriter Rich Mullins alluded to the bigger pictures of God when he observed of his own life: “What I’d have settled for/ You’ve blown so far away/ What You brought me to/ I thought I could not reach.” In the intentions of God, we find that where we would have settled, where we would have been content with success or goodness, the Father moves us far beyond. Where we would have fallen beyond reach, the Son took our place. “God who is mighty,” proclaims the psalmist, “has donegreat things for me.” In the coming of this New Year, might we recognize a similar story in our own lives.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

Total Blog Hits:

Followers:

Subscribe To

About Me

Read what you have time for below
& save the residuum for a stormy/
blustery/dilatory interval while
the charming/exquisite/vernal/
aestival season is bursting out all
over. Our goal is to promote a non-
threatening and productive office
& university environment and to
establish language that is gender-
neutral, ethnic-neutral, and age-
neutral while celebrating our spirit
of diversity.
This material is not suitable for those who are deficient in humor
or thought challenged!!! Do not read any further - you have been
warned. Preconceived ideas and biases could be endangered.
A unique blend of the jocular with provocative rumination is just
ahead for your divertissement!?!
Undoubtedly America’s fastest growing sensation online,
'Thought & Humor' has arrived after winding its way
through the Internet’s highways and byways to your e-mail
address. We welcome all our great readers to another unique
blend of the jocular with provocative rumination for your
weekly entertainment - usually platitudinous & bromidic
but never nefarious, prurient, besmeared, or perfidious
and delivered gratis to offices, homes & dorms ubiquitously....